Decodable tales of survival against the odds for striving readers aged 10–14


These short stories bring to life some of the world’s deadliest animal attacks, and how three young people beat the odds to survive them.

HMS Birkenhead Shark Attacks, 1852
The Lions of Tsavo, 1898
Sankebetsu Brown Bear Incident, 1915

Morphology focus: Multiple suffixes

Against The Odds is a captivating series of six fictional but inspired by true events Hi-Lo chapter books tailored for striving readers aged 10–14.

Each title in this collection unravels the extraordinary experiences of young people overcoming incredible challenges. Whether it’s facing the unknown or triumphing against the odds, these stories are both riveting and inspiring.

The series is carefully written with a focus on morphology (suffixes, prefixes, and word roots/bases) which is hugely important for improving spelling and reading comprehension.
The Against The Odds series serves as a vital bridge between decodable and mainstream books, empowering readers to confidently understand meaning from text alone.